The hug heard in Goa – and how it turned into Norway’s invitation to India
That story is coming – keep reading to the end. First, some exciting news from NICCI’s newest focus area: Sports & Wellness.
Written by Trond Skundberg, NICCI
Eirik Waldeland Henningsen
General Manager (daglig leder) of Runfest and the acting General Manager of the regional film agency Filmkraft Rogaland.
Prominent Norwegian business executive and organisational leader.
Come run with us: NICCI invites India to Sandnes
Eirik W. Henningsen and world champion runner Jakob Ingebrigtsen have a personal invitation for NICCI members in India — and everyone else in the network: come run Runfest in Sandnes this October. Whether you’re chasing a personal best or just want to take part in something new, there’s a distance for you: 1500m, 5K, 10K or the half marathon (21K).
“It would be great if some of our members in India could join us at Runfest in Sandnes — not just to visit, but to actually run one of the distances,” says Eirik. “We are working on ‘Run & Explore’ extensions with local experiences for our Indian friends.”
The details:
- Friday 2 October 2026 — 1500m, low threshold, perfect for first-timers
- Saturday 3 October 2026 — 5K and 10K (with or without timing), and the 21K half marathon for those chasing a bigger challenge
- Registration and full details: www.runfestnorway.com/en
Runfest Norway is a brand-new 3-day street running festival, launching in Sandnes 1–3 October 2026 — in Jakob Ingebrigtsen’s own hometown. It’s not just a race weekend. It’s a gathering place for runners from all over the world, elite and everyday, built to be one of the most welcoming and inclusive running festivals anywhere. And the Stavanger region offers fjords, mountains, beaches, city life, Viking history and serious food, all in one compact destination. NRK will broadcast the event, so runners and spectators back home in India will be able to follow along too.
Meet the connector: Eirik W. Henningsen
I know Eirik as an explosion of positive energy and someone who gets things done.
His CV runs deep: 8 years in the Norwegian Armed Forces, followed by 14 years in finance, before he moved into sport and event leadership. He led Viking Fotball Klubb through some of its most demanding years of restructuring and growth – just one line on a long CV. The good news for the NICCI network: his reach goes well beyond sport. Eirik also recently stepped in to help lead Filmkraft, Rogaland’s regional film organization, through a tough stretch – which puts him right in the middle of the audiovisual business too, with NICCI’s November delegation dates overlapping India’s international film festival season. Sport, public health, film – Eirik is turning into the connector for new sectors in the Norway-India corridor.
Introducing NICCI Sports & Wellness
Business in Sports -now taking shape as NICCI Sports & Wellness – is one of NICCI’s newest focus areas, and the partnerships are already moving.
The committee driving it: Eirik W. Henningsen, Judah Fernandez, Heidi Legein, Inge Andersen and Hogne Hide.
For NICCI’s business delegation to India this November, we have already lined up exclusive meetings — including a site visit to Mumbai Football Arena to meet Mumbai City FC. In Goa, we are naturally connecting with NICCI member Sporting Clube de Goa.
Last but not least – who did you hug when Norway scored?
Honestly, it’s one of the crazier things I’ve done. I flew down to Goa only for a couple of days, to explore some opportunities for business collaboration and to be part of the screening of that Norway–England match – organised by Kilowott, the Norwegian Consulate General, Sporting Clube de Goa and NICCI. My hug went to a fellow NICCI member, Caleb Fernandez, partner at Kilowott.
In Goa, India’s smallest state, we have built connections in record time that are already turning into sports-related business partnerships.
We can’t wait to hear more about the various initiatives. Stay tuned for more…